@cardamomaddict It may be that construction in 2014 was on Weber, going under the train tracks near Victoria? I recall that did happen first, to help make up for the coming changes to King. 2014 was the last year of the parade on King.
King near Allen in September 2015 wasn’t amenable to a parade, though 😀🍻❤️
I'm listening to Shantell Powell @Shanmonster reading from "The Snow Hath No Queen" on @radiowaterloo.ca
@paulbusch There’s also the craft-beer-oriented Craftoberfest, kind of a delightful subset of the main celebration 😀🍻
Today my multiple and discoordinated calendars saved me, for I have recursively subscribed to enough of them that I didn’t miss this #multisolving session RIGHT IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD!
Welcome to #waterlooregion @bethsawin, virtual or otherwise, you seem to have connected a network here.
Hey KW peeps. Food4Kids is doing their Thanksgiving drive. They were outside the Freshco on Old King/Weber accepting donations when I went in. Please give, if you can. ♥️
Last week's column was all about apples and the apple fritter divide we've got here. So, are you team ring (slices dipped in batter and fried) or team doughnut (doughnut pieces mixed with dough and fried)?
You can listen to it here.
PERIMETER INSTITUTE CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY
From Sept. 20-27, the Perimeter Institute celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary with a week-long festival, including an open house, public lectures and film screenings.
The Waterloo-based research centre was founded in 1999 by Mike Lazaridis, the Greek-Canadian businessman who co-founded Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry. The festival provided public events to help the community learn more about the institute and how modern scientific discoveries are enhancing Canada’s innovation advantage, fuelling new industries, and opening new paths in AI, energy, climate and medicine.
Weekend activities on Sept. 20 and 21 included A Peek Inside Perimeter, an open house where attendees explored interactive exhibits on theoretical physics, light refraction, magnets, and black holes. The event provided educational activities and opportunities to engage with Perimeter’s award-winning outreach team, world-class researchers, and the Let’s Talk Science team, one of Canada’s leading educational outreach non-profits.
“For anybody from the public that would like to get a bit of a glimpse inside the building and what goes on here, this is not a public space generally,” said Healy.
“So, it’s a good opportunity to get inside, talk to some physicists, talk to some people that work around here, and figure out what goes on.”
An event volunteer said she attended because she wanted to meet people enthusiastic about science. “A scientifically literate electorate is vitally important to our future success as a country,” she said.
Lazaridis initially invested $100 million—about a third of his wealth at the time—to launch what has become one of the world’s leading centres for theoretical physics. Lazaridis believed that breakthroughs in theoretical physics could fuel multiple generations of wealth creation and advance humanity from the development of silicon chips and transistors to Canada’s potential leadership in quantum technologies.
“It was higher than any investment in Canadian history and science by a factor,” Mark Healy, Perimeter Institute’s director of communications and public engagement, said. “His vision was to have an independent theoretical physics institute sitting in Canada at the heart of what he thought would become Quantum Valley.”
At five p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, the institute hosted a one-act play called Quantum of Hope, a debut performance by Perimeter alumni written during the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science.
After the institute’s events, attendees joined the Lumen Festival, an annual, free, all-ages festival open to the public and run by the City of Waterloo’s Arts and Creative Industries team, Create Waterloo. The event explores the interplay between light, art and technology in installations located throughout uptown Waterloo. It hosts more than 30 visual, interactive, new media and performance-based installations.
Healy also said there were other events to look forward to, including public lectures and film screenings. These film screenings took place at the Princess Cinema on Monday and Saturday night.
“The screenings are open to the public, providing an accessible way to engage with physics and quantum mechanics,” Sophia Irwin, the cinema’s programming coordinator, said.
“Princess Cinemas is honoured to provide a space where we can connect with groups we may not otherwise engage with.”
The week concluded with a private gala and the inaugural Circle Awards, recognising outstanding achievements by former Perimeter postdocs and graduate students. Fifteen alumni gave talks.
“This is a place that represents hope—a beacon in a somewhat tumultuous world,” Healy said.
As a major source of research fueling Canada’s “Quantum Valley,” Perimeter Institute hosted many of those who contributed to its success, including esteemed alumni, visionary industry leaders, key government representatives, and community members at its campus in Waterloo.
#AI #Blackberry #circleAwards #Climate #CreateWaterloo #Energy #internationalYearOfQuantumScience #kitchener #lumenFestival #markHealy #medicine #MikeLazaridis #PrincessCinema #quantumOfHope #SangjunHan #sophiaIrwin #waterloo #waterlooRegion
BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DISC GOLF IN WR
Disc golf is a rising alternative sport that is low-impact, cheap and beginner-friendly. Waterloo Region boasts beautiful courses, helpful retailers and a burgeoning community to help you along your journey out into the woods to clink baskets with plastic discs.
Getting started
The only gear needed are discs, which are different from traditional frisbees.
Local online retailer Big Disc Energy sells a wide variety of discs for all skill levels, including cheap starter sets. Additionally, any big store with a sports department or basic online retailer should be able to sell you a starter set.
The next item you should invest in is the free UDisc app. UDisc is a great resource for finding courses, keeping score during your rounds and tracking your progress over time.
For some courses in the region, using the app during your round is the best way to have any idea how to get from hole to hole.
In addition to its discovery and tracking features, UDisc also has an active blog and forum community that can help answer any questions you may have as you learn.
Montgomery Park Aceplace
Montgomery Park Aceplace course offers a short and forgiving but varied layout perfect for beginners or those looking to practice their game. Recently, the City of Kitchener put in new concrete tee pads, making the course even better for practicing long drives. Beware the bushes on hole five, they’re full of burs that will stick to your clothes!
Columbia Lake (UW) Disc Golf Course
Located on the University of Waterloo campus, Columbia Lake has some of the nicest views of any disc golf course in the region. Managed by the university, the course is free for UW students, but they charge $3 for a day pass to any non- students. Visit the UW recreation website or scan the QR codes on the course to purchase your pass before playing.
It is not uncommon to see ducks and other animals resting in the lake. Be sure to keep your eye out for the occasional turtle making its way across the first fairway.
Four Fathers Brewing Co. DGC
Sandwiched between Four Fathers Brewing Co. and the Mill Pond in north Cambridge, this course winds through wooded areas before wrapping up in front of the restaurant patio, inviting you in to celebrate a successful round.
Next steps
Now that you have successfully learned the basics of disc golf and have had some fun, it’s time to up your game. Two easy ways to do that are watching pros on the Disc Golf Network (DGN) and joining the Grand River Disc Golf Association (GRDGA).
DGN broadcasts live pro tournaments on their app and on YouTube. The GRDCA is a local association that hosts tournaments, builds community and operates the members-only course Rudy Woods. If you want to get involved and play more disc golf with likeminded people, the GRDCA is the place to be.
Overall, all you really need to be successful at disc golf is some interest, walking shoes and maybe some friends who are down to try it out.
#bigDiscEnergy #columbiaLake #community #discGoldCourse #discGolf #fourFathersBrewingCo #grandRiverDiscGolfAssociation #jacksonWells #kitchener #millPond #montgomeryParkAceplace #rudyWoods #waterloo #waterlooRegion
A SMASHIN’ GOOD TIME: IMPACT MOTORSPORTS HOSTS DEMOLITION DERBY AT NEW HAMBURG FAIR
Impact Motorsports hosted another action-packed demolition derby on Sept. 13 and 14. The derby run on the Saturday and Sunday of the New Hamburg Fair every year since 2007 and is the highlight of the weekend for many.
The Wilmot Agricultural Society awarded nearly $10,000 in prizes to the derby drivers, including $50 to every registered contestant.
The town’s first fair was held in 1853. Devon and Kristi Germain acquired Impact Motorsports in 2020. Although the cost to enter the derby is minimal, the cost of cars and modifications can run drivers up to $30,000 for a single build. David Webster, a derby driver from Appin, Ontario, has been driving for 25 years and is affected by the rising cost of cars. He buys most of his cars in the U.S. and competes in the eight-cylinder category.
“I don’t get to run much anymore. Maybe three, four a year for me anymore, where at one point it was 30-plus shows a year. I go down to Georgia and with the tariffs, I’m getting hit 25 per cent coming home,” Webster said.
Some drivers find cars cheaper, sourcing them on forums like Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or through word of mouth, and, if the driver is lucky, they might break even. Nick Burgess, a long-time derby driver from New Hamburg, purchased his truck for $1,000 plus repairs and upgrades.
“You can find good deals still, but it’s hard. I’m up more than I lose. This is my home track and, when it comes to trucks, I get the most wins out of them, so I’m doing alright,” Burgess said.
Money and time are not the only risks in demolition derbies—smashing cars and trucks into each other can be dangerous. There are safety regulations in place like reinforced doors, heavy bumpers and the relocation of batteries, but there are many hazards like flying debris, fires and unexpected crashes.
Burgess has been lucky but stresses the fact that safety is a risk that drivers must take.
“You’re never guaranteed safety. There’s rules and regulations we put in place to make sure something doesn’t go wrong, but you can have a fuel rupture, a battery rupture, it’s all right inside, beside you,” Burgess said.
Burgess placed second in the truck category after a long battle. His truck got hung up on the third-place truck and, as a result, took them both out of the derby. The competition was tough, and he was happy with his second-place finish.
Demolition derbies are fun for audiences of all ages and almost anyone can join. The drivers have lots of respect for each other and their fans.
“[I]f you want to get involved, talk to some of the veteran drivers. I’m sure they are more than willing to help. I help guys out all the time to get into the sport, with safety issues and point them in the right direction on how to get to the top,” Webster said.
The derby consists of several categories ranging from trucks all the way down to Power Wheels for children. A lawn mower category was added last year and is attracting new drivers to the sport due to its low startup cost. Travis Van Wieren, a riding mower driver, started driving this year.
Mowers are open-bodied, slow-moving machines and must be modified for speed, safety and power to qualify for the derby.
“So, basically, you need side rails to keep you safe, a rollover bar, front and rear bumper and some frame reinforcement to make it stronger. I’ve done a pulley swap on mine so it goes faster, about 25 kilometers per hour,” Van Wieren said.
The once broken-down cars are given a new life in the derby. The vehicles get absolutely smashed up and look like crushed cans by the end of the match. After each match, the drivers tow their cars back to the shop, hammer them out, repair and replace the broken parts and send them back into battle.
Burgess’s truck got smashed up with the radiator spraying water and fluids running down the front end and wheel well. He was otherwise unscathed and looks forward to his next derby.
“We’re gonna take it [the truck] back to the shop, pull it out and send it down to Lindsay for the Fall Brawl in mid-October,” Burgess said.
#community #CraigBecker #davidWebster #demolitionDerby #devonGermain #facebookMarketplace #impactMotorsports #kijiji #kitchener #kristiGermain #nickBurgess #powerWheels #waterloo #waterlooRegion #wilmotAgriculturalSociety
#BikeNite A8: Not this week's pictures; I took these the week before last. Please don't kick me out of BikeNite.
At the #UpTownWaterloo parking garage in #WaterlooRegion, Ontario.
This week's column gets to the core of a rather a-peeling treat that's rather iconic here: Apple Fritters!
No, not going cinnamon-sugar coat it: This equal-opportunity apple fritterian unwittingly waded into the ring- v doughnut-style battle...
#Food #Mastonom #Apples #AppleFritters #WaterlooRegion #FoodFight
Looking for a biking-related volunteering opportunity?
The Ride for Refuge is a family-friendly, in-person fundraising ride/walk held on Saturday, October 4, 2025 in support of charities that help people seeking hope, safety, and freedom.
RE: https://mstdn.ca/@CyclingGuide/115300709240884287
I'm proud of the work that we've done with @CyclingGuide and hope to continue that work many years to come. If you like our mobile app, please consider making a financial donation (Cycling Guide Foundation is a registered charity) to support us in delivering the best available low-stress, cycling-friendly routes to more and more people.
Hi everyone. As many of you may know, Cycling Guide is a free mobile app that provides the best available low-stress, cycling-friendly routes. It was created in Waterloo Region, Ontario. Cycling Guide Foundation is a registered charity and it’s the permanent home of the app. It’s where we continue to develop the app and add new geographic coverage areas.
We’ve recently updated our charitable donations capability. It’s easy to make a one-time or monthly donation.
And we’re now on Benevity, a corporate giving platform that some local company’s use — some of them will even match employee donations!
Please consider a donation to our foundation to support our ongoing work. 😀🚴🏼♀️❤️
https://cyclingguide.org/become-a-cycling-guide-foundation-supporter/
The 2025 Michelin Guide for Toronto and Region recognised three Waterloo Region names: Langdon Hall, Odd Duck, and Langdon Hall's Faye MacLachlan was named Sommelier of the Year.
Quite the achievement for an area that's off dining's beaten path.
ICYMI, you can listen to my radio column about it here: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-104-the-morning-edition-k-w/clip/16171970-langdon-hall-odd-duck-receive-michelin-recommendation-jasmine
After meeting with city staff, representatives of the Horticultural Society and a number of our members, we present our response on the Rockway Fairway Transportation Connections: a people-first approach!
"This project represents a critical step forward in completing our cycling network. It will forge a vital connection between downtown Kitchener and the Fairway Road area, linking neighborhoods, schools, a community centre, the major shopping mall, and other important amenities.
Currently, cyclists navigating this route face significant risks, particularly along Dixon Street, Eckert Street, and the intersection of Wilson Street and Fairway Road. The proposed project addresses these dangerous sections, and for that, we are incredibly supportive. The more complex issue, and the one we wish to address with care, is the proposed route through the treasured Rockway Gardens along Floral Crescent.”
"The Encampments" is at the Princess Twin tonight!
When I bought tickets last night already 146 of 150 tickets had been sold, so it's likely to be sold out soon, if not already.
Sadly, tickets can only be purchased online with Paypal, which now requires all your personal info even in "Guest Mode". Happily, the ticket seller let me buy a pair over the counter anyway, and knows the animosity for Paypal. I hope they find a different payment processor soon.
We had a fun Critical Mass ride today starting at Climate Fest in Downtown Kitchener. Happy tunes, tinkling bells, plenty of smiles 😀🚴♂️🚴♀️🚴❤️
We’re set up on Gaukel Street today for the Climate Fest. Come by and say hello!
